In 1969 two students from Berlin set out to translate De la grammatologie from the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, still virtually unknown in Germany—a joint undertaking which to this day has left its mark throughout the humanities.

After 45 years, the historian of science and molecular biologist Hans-Jörg Rheinberger and the writer and actor Hanns Zischler re-examine their translation of Derrida’s Grammatology — “Because our German has improved.”